Published: Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 7:08 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 7:08 p.m.

SARASOTA - In a couple of years, the downtown area could look much different, depending on how things go tonight.

A businessman will ask the city to give its blessing to his plan for a New Orleans-style gallery wrapping around a new establishment in the Five Points. City officials also are expected to decide on the future of the State Street garage.

Proposed designs for the garage vary from a relatively modest four-story structure with some retail space to a 10-story building with more room for condos or other private development. City commissioners will be asked to choose one of five plans for the garage presented by city staff, and will take up the issue of the gallery along with other parking and construction-related topics.

Several residents have said they plan to oppose restaurant-owner Chris Brown's idea of adding semi-enclosed seating on a two-story gallery around the property at 1400 Main St., former site of the Floribbean Restaurant & Lounge and Patrick's Restaurant.

The idea is in its very early stages. Brown has not said whether he is opening a bar or a restaurant, and will most likely have to go through the city planning and development processes, whatever the commission decides. But many who have seen sketches of the gallery are not waiting to argue against it.

“I want Mr. Brown to succeed, but this thing is a Goliath,” said Ed Kanis, who lives in a nearby building. “It's a hideous monstrosity.”

To build the gallery, Brown will need approval for an encroachment on the city's right of way, and that's what he wants from the City Commission. It's somewhat unusual to go to the commission first, before the planning and development committees, and that has helped galvanize public resistance to the idea. Some residents say they are more concerned that the gallery is being unfairly “fast-tracked” than they are about the threat of a wild, Bourbon Street-style party culture infiltrating the Five Points.

“I think the process is wrong,” said Cheryl Walker, who lives downtown. “I don't think the city should be making an exception for one developer over another.”

But it's precisely the expected opposition to the gallery that pursuaded city officials to let Brown test the waters at the commission, said Jan Thornburg, a city spokeswoman. If the City Commission is receptive to the idea, he could go back through the normal process knowing he has a chance to succeed. If he is told immediately the commission doesn't like it, he can drop the matter. Brown did not return calls asking for comment on his plans.

“It's a way for him to take the temperature of the City Commmission,” Thornburg said. “Without wasting people's time, or potentially tens of thousands of dollars.”

As the city tries to move forward with the State Street parking garage, after a previous plan ran afoul of Sunshine Laws this summer, commissioners must choose from a variety of options.

The first of five designs presented by city staff will be a relatively simple, four-story garage with room for almost 400 parking spaces and about 14,000 square feet of retail space.

Other plans add up to 40,000 square feet of development space, possibly to be used for condos or apartments, and run to 9 or 10 stories.

The city is obligated, through an agreement with developers of the stalled Pineapple Square project, to build a parking garage of at least 300 spaces by February 2015.

To accomplish that, and include 13,000 to 17,000 square feet of retail space, the city plans to spend about $7.3 million.

The grander schemes would likely require private investment and the sale of the city's “air rights” to build the higher stories. An earlier plan advanced by Jebco Ventures Inc., which involved a 10-story building, two floors of retail, four floors of parking, a two-level Hampton Inn hotel, and condominiums, was popular with many downtown business people, said Tony Souza, chairman of the Downtown Sarasota Alliance.

But the city walked away from that plan, fearing Sunshine Law lawsuits over the way the Jebco plan was picked.

“The question is, does the city want more residential space or more parking?” Souza said. “There are two big sticking points: What is the appetite for a 10-story building? And what is the appetite for having less parking in exchange for more retail and development?”

In other action, the commission will vote on a 3 percent pay increase for city workers, discuss the purchase of the $18,000 “Bharata” statue for Five Points Park, and take up parking issues in Burns Square and the St. Armands neighborhood.

Vice Mayor Willie Shaw will address the commission about possible locations for a homeless facility in Sarasota.

<p><em>SARASOTA</em> - In a couple of years, the downtown area could look much different, depending on how things go tonight.</p><p>A businessman will ask the city to give its blessing to his plan for a New Orleans-style gallery wrapping around a new establishment in the Five Points. City officials also are expected to decide on the future of the State Street garage.</p><p>Proposed designs for the garage vary from a relatively modest four-story structure with some retail space to a 10-story building with more room for condos or other private development. City commissioners will be asked to choose one of five plans for the garage presented by city staff, and will take up the issue of the gallery along with other parking and construction-related topics.</p><p>Several residents have said they plan to oppose restaurant-owner Chris Brown's idea of adding semi-enclosed seating on a two-story gallery around the property at 1400 Main St., former site of the Floribbean Restaurant & Lounge and Patrick's Restaurant.</p><p>The idea is in its very early stages. Brown has not said whether he is opening a bar or a restaurant, and will most likely have to go through the city planning and development processes, whatever the commission decides. But many who have seen sketches of the gallery are not waiting to argue against it.</p><p>“I want Mr. Brown to succeed, but this thing is a Goliath,” said Ed Kanis, who lives in a nearby building. “It's a hideous monstrosity.”</p><p>To build the gallery, Brown will need approval for an encroachment on the city's right of way, and that's what he wants from the City Commission. It's somewhat unusual to go to the commission first, before the planning and development committees, and that has helped galvanize public resistance to the idea. Some residents say they are more concerned that the gallery is being unfairly “fast-tracked” than they are about the threat of a wild, Bourbon Street-style party culture infiltrating the Five Points. </p><p>“I think the process is wrong,” said Cheryl Walker, who lives downtown. “I don't think the city should be making an exception for one developer over another.”</p><p>But it's precisely the expected opposition to the gallery that pursuaded city officials to let Brown test the waters at the commission, said Jan Thornburg, a city spokeswoman. If the City Commission is receptive to the idea, he could go back through the normal process knowing he has a chance to succeed. If he is told immediately the commission doesn't like it, he can drop the matter. Brown did not return calls asking for comment on his plans. </p><p>“It's a way for him to take the temperature of the City Commmission,” Thornburg said. “Without wasting people's time, or potentially tens of thousands of dollars.” </p><p>As the city tries to move forward with the State Street parking garage, after a previous plan ran afoul of Sunshine Laws this summer, commissioners must choose from a variety of options. </p><p>The first of five designs presented by city staff will be a relatively simple, four-story garage with room for almost 400 parking spaces and about 14,000 square feet of retail space. </p><p>Other plans add up to 40,000 square feet of development space, possibly to be used for condos or apartments, and run to 9 or 10 stories.</p><p>The city is obligated, through an agreement with developers of the stalled Pineapple Square project, to build a parking garage of at least 300 spaces by February 2015. </p><p>To accomplish that, and include 13,000 to 17,000 square feet of retail space, the city plans to spend about $7.3 million.</p><p>The grander schemes would likely require private investment and the sale of the city's “air rights” to build the higher stories. An earlier plan advanced by Jebco Ventures Inc., which involved a 10-story building, two floors of retail, four floors of parking, a two-level Hampton Inn hotel, and condominiums, was popular with many downtown business people, said Tony Souza, chairman of the Downtown Sarasota Alliance. </p><p>But the city walked away from that plan, fearing Sunshine Law lawsuits over the way the Jebco plan was picked.</p><p>“The question is, does the city want more residential space or more parking?” Souza said. “There are two big sticking points: What is the appetite for a 10-story building? And what is the appetite for having less parking in exchange for more retail and development?”</p><p>In other action, the commission will vote on a 3 percent pay increase for city workers, discuss the purchase of the $18,000 “Bharata” statue for Five Points Park, and take up parking issues in Burns Square and the St. Armands neighborhood. </p><p>Vice Mayor Willie Shaw will address the commission about possible locations for a homeless facility in Sarasota.</p>